Patience

My grandmother used to tell me all that time “patience is a virtue”. So I tried to be a patient person. But I realized soon after I became a nurse that I am not. I guess that is why I became an ER nurse. I like things to get done, and would prefer they get done down.

When I do coaching with my nurses I find out where they want to go in their careers. Do they want to go back to school. Move to critical care, the ED or some other specialty. I want to know what I can do to help them reach the goals they have set for themselves. Like many of you, I too started off in acute care and moved to critical care, so I know this is a starting place for many nurses. I would rather see them stay with the organization and use the skills they learned on my unit than to take those skills somewhere else.

Anyway, back to my original thought…….many of them are very impatient wanting to get there as quick as possible, even though they are not ready emotionally, maturity wise or even with their nursing skills. I tell them to be patient. In time you will develop the assessment and nursing skills you need to make that move. There will always be jobs in the ED or ICU, but rushing into something you are not ready for is setting yourself up for failure.

But when I comes to me and my career, I have no patience at all. I knew when I graduated from nursing school I wanted to do management. I did my time on the floor, and was a great nurse, but I kept my eye on the prize. Now that I have a management job, I am already looking to my next job up a level. I have a feeling this job will be opening up soon, but I can’t wait. I remind my boss at least once a week that I am ready, willing and able to take that job when she is ready to make the change (it is not her job, but she supervises the other job as well).

Am I really ready for the job….I think so. Am I qualified for the job……I think so. Does my boss think I am ready and qualified for the job……I don’t know.

I will just keep reminding her and chomping at the bit, all while I am telling my staff to just be patient.

Rob Cameron is currently a staff nurse in a level II trauma center. He has primarily been an ED nurse for most of his career, but he has also been a nurse manager for Surgical Trauma and Telemetry unit. He has worked in Med/Surg, Critical Care, Hospice, Rehab, an extremely busy cardiology clinic and pretty much anywhere he's been needed.
Prior to his career in nursing, Rob worked in healthcare finance and management. Rob feels this experience has given him a perspective on nursing that many never see. He loves nursing because of all the options he has within the field. He is currently a grad student working on an MSN in nursing leadership, and teaches clinicals at a local university.
Away from work, Rob spends all of his time with his wife and daughter. He enjoys cycling and Crossfit. He is a die hard NASCAR fan. Sundays you can find Rob watching the race with his daughter.
By Rob Cameron